Walker County Government, in partnership with Kinetic by Windstream, will address the deployment of a Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) solution to 3,339 homes and businesses in rural Walker County, officials said Monday.
The project involves extending 323 miles of fiber throughout the Armuchee Valley, Center Post and Kensington communities, among other locations.
“This project will serve many of the unserved and underserved in our community,” said Chairman Shannon Whitfield, Walker County Board of Commissioners. “It’s difficult to accept there are still places in the county where the Internet can only be accessed for school or work by using a dial-up modem, if there is any Internet connection at all.”
Rep. Mike Cameron said the funding is through $6.1 million in federal American Rescue Program funds. He said Dade County got a similar amount and the work is being carried out by Trenton Telephone.
Officials of Windstream said the work of replacing copper lines with fiberoptic has already begun in Walker County and will be completed by 2024. He said the firm will also be reaching out to continually extend the system.
The new system is capable of handling up to 10 gig.
Chairman Whitfield said much of the county closer to Tennessee has several Internet options, but much of the rural southern part of the county has poor service.
Residents at a town hall meeting told of difficulties they have streaming and getting good Internet service.
Households and businesses may visit GoKinetic.com to find out if they are eligible for a speed upgrade and learn how Kinetic can meet their home or business needs. They can also visit or call the Kinetic Connection Center retail store at 615 S. Thornton Ave. in Dalton. Its phone number is 706-279-7000.
Kinetic’s Walker County fiber project is part of a $2 billion multiyear capital investment strategy to dramatically expand gigabit fiber service across Kinetic’s 18-state footprint.
Officials said, "Kinetic’s superfast, reliable fiber connections in Walker County empower residential customers to gig speeds to navigate the Internet safely from home with no lag times while they work, participate in virtual classrooms or stream entertainment services."